What's the difference between libel and slander?

Libel


Definition:

  • (n.) A brief writing of any kind, esp. a declaration, bill, certificate, request, supplication, etc.
  • (n.) Any defamatory writing; a lampoon; a satire.
  • (n.) A malicious publication expressed either in print or in writing, or by pictures, effigies, or other signs, tending to expose another to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule. Such publication is indictable at common law.
  • (n.) The crime of issuing a malicious defamatory publication.
  • (n.) A written declaration or statement by the plaintiff of his cause of action, and of the relief he seeks.
  • (v. t.) To defame, or expose to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule, by a writing, picture, sign, etc.; to lampoon.
  • (v. t.) To proceed against by filing a libel, particularly against a ship or goods.
  • (v. i.) To spread defamation, written or printed; -- with against.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Brett added companies should have to prove some financial damage – or the potential of financial damage – before they are allowed to launch a libel case.
  • (2) First, there are major vested interests, such as large corporations, foreign billionaires and libel lawyers, who will attempt to scupper reform.
  • (3) "In recent years, though, the increased threat of costly libel actions has begun to have a chilling effect on scientific and academic debate and investigative journalism."
  • (4) Aside from the fact that it is intemperate and inaccurate, it is also libelous.
  • (5) And there are plenty who think that, as our libel laws are cleaned up, smart lawyers are switching horses to privacy.
  • (6) The case, which had been going on for four years, became a cause celebre, one of a number that were used to spearhead a campaign for change to the libel laws by campaigners for freedom of speech.
  • (7) He stressed that the sister-in-law and her husband were not only accused of circulating libellously untrue stories but also of harassment of the wealthy financier.
  • (8) Polonsky is hoping to sue Lebedev for libel and is seeking damages for defamation, his lawyer Andrew Stephenson has said.
  • (9) Thousands who have confronted the possibility of a libel action have self-censored or backed down.
  • (10) He added that London remained the "libel capital of the world – the place where the rich and dodgy flock to keep their reputations intact".
  • (11) Newspapers have been lobbying hard to stave off a Leveson law of any kind, arguing that the press is already subject to laws ranging from libel to data protection and computer misuse acts to guard against illegal activities.
  • (12) Instead, NMT sued Wilmshurst in London, which has become the libel capital of the world.
  • (13) Priority has been given to applying sticking-plasters to libel law when urgent surgery is needed to regulate a tabloid newspaper industry that has been shown to have no regard for privacy or the criminal law.
  • (14) But Miller, in continuing to urge publishers to be "recognised" by the charter did refer to the "incentives", meaning a protection from the payment of legal costs for libel claimants (even if unsuccessful) and the imposition of exemplary damages (which would be very doubtful anyway).
  • (15) The inquiry originally looked as if it would be confined to the issue of "libel tourism", but it seems officials believed it would not be possible to restrict the inquiry in this way.
  • (16) His charge sheet includes numerous assaults (one against a waiter who served him the wrong dish of artichokes); jail time for libelling a fellow painter, Giovanni Baglione, by posting poems around Rome accusing him of plagiarism and calling him Giovanni Coglione (“Johnny Bollocks”); affray (a police report records Caravaggio’s response when asked how he came by a wound: “I wounded myself with my own sword when I fell down these stairs.
  • (17) The former Conservative chief whip Andrew Mitchell was a Jekyll and Hyde character who employed a mixture of charm and menace, his libel trial against the Sun newspaper over the Plebgate affair heard.
  • (18) In a letter to Hodge on Tuesday, Duncan also claimed that Hodge, the MP for Barking, had made “undoubtedly libellous assertions” about the tax affairs of the bank’s chief executive Stuart Gulliver.
  • (19) The libel laws have been long been considered to restrict free speech.
  • (20) What about the chilling effects of libel tourism and a system that both adds cost to stories and stifles freedom of expression?

Slander


Definition:

  • (n.) A false tale or report maliciously uttered, tending to injure the reputation of another; the malicious utterance of defamatory reports; the dissemination of malicious tales or suggestions to the injury of another.
  • (n.) Disgrace; reproach; dishonor; opprobrium.
  • (n.) Formerly, defamation generally, whether oral or written; in modern usage, defamation by words spoken; utterance of false, malicious, and defamatory words, tending to the damage and derogation of another; calumny. See the Note under Defamation.
  • (v. t.) To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report; to tarnish or impair the reputation of by false tales maliciously told or propagated; to calumniate.
  • (v. t.) To bring discredit or shame upon by one's acts.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) I will confine myself to correcting Kaiman's slanders against the most open and generous immigration system in the developed world.
  • (2) It is socially very divisive, it is stigmatising, it is subtly slanderous and it is immoral.
  • (3) It’s unfortunate that companies should have to continue to correct the government’s slander,” the union said.
  • (4) "I will, no doubt, be interrrupted, shouted down, slandered, put on the spot, and subject to a scrutiny that would be a thousand times more intense than anything directed at other panellists."
  • (5) "They slandered us, slung mud at us and shut us out of all the news media – the TV channels of the corrupt elite – and we beat them," the 55-year-old leader said as the votes came in.
  • (6) Sarah Champion, John Healey and Kevin Barron are suing Collins – who represents Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire in the European parliament – for libel and slander for accusations she made in her speech at last year’s Ukip party conference.
  • (7) They are slanderous and therefore libellous," she told the Sunday Times.
  • (8) There have been rumours, however, denied as slander by those still there, of rising alcoholism and petty thuggery.
  • (9) In spite of this manifest acknowledgment of John Hunter's greatness there are nevertheless numerous aspects of his character, his health, and his opinions which have been the subject of criticism, misunderstanding, lack of appreciation, and even slander.
  • (10) Consideration is given to potential liability due to malpractice, negligent interference with a workers' contractual relationship with his or her employer, libel and slander, and unauthorized release of information.
  • (11) China has condemned Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, for "maliciously slandering" its self-proclaimed air defence zone, ratcheting up the war of words between the neighbours over Beijing's annexation of the skies over a group of disputed islands.
  • (12) During his 45-minute talk delivered from Jamaica, Faisal was heard saying: “Instead of embracing the Islamic State, supporting the Islamic State and doing everything humanly possible for the success of the state … all they do is slander the mujahideen,” he said.
  • (13) Trump insisted that the press as a whole was “false and slanderous in every respect” and said “the depths of their immorality is absolutely unlimited”.
  • (14) Qatar’s FA said the remark by Zwanziger showed collective disrespect and was slanderous and he should not be allowed to repeat it, according to the court statement.
  • (15) While Vatican spokesmen continue to maintain that Seromba is a victim of malicious slander, the Florence diocese announced this week that it had an open mind as to his culpability.
  • (16) KCNA quoted the foreign ministry as saying: “As the United States is spreading groundless allegations and slandering us, we propose a joint investigation with it into this incident.
  • (17) But to be credible, those who condemn that slander must also condemn the hate we see in the images of Jesus Christ that are desecrated, or churches that are destroyed, or the Holocaust that is denied.
  • (18) As the United States is spreading groundless allegations and slandering us, we propose a joint investigation with it into this incident,” a foreign ministry spokesman said.
  • (19) Police staying back #OccupyGezi #Turkey June 11, 2013 9.08am BST AKP plans curb on Twitter The ruling Justice and Development party (AKP) has vowed to begin censoring Twitter in an effort to curb "dangerous" slander, the Turkish daily Hurriyet reports .
  • (20) The drama about the slandered Bristol schoolteacher also won the mini-series prize, one of a number of double winners at the ceremony at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London, on Sunday night.